Wayne County, GA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wayne County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Hurricane Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Wayne County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, earthquake, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 31% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (94th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Wayne County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (10), tropical storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1977.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.2 | 4 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 19.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 64.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 52.7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 24.8 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 52.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 51.3 | 2 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Wayne County ranks in the 94th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 96th | High |
| Household characteristics | 85th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 89th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 22 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-31% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Wayne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wayne County, Georgia are hurricane, earthquake, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wayne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wayne County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (10 declarations).
Has Wayne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wayne County include Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Wayne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, McIntosh County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Long County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Wayne County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wayne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wayne County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Wayne County's composite score of 45 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 45% of US counties.